Bacillus cereus strain W35

ABSTRACT

A novel strain of Bacillus cereus, designated W35 is useful as a biocontrol agent to combat fungal damping off disease in field crop plants. W35 produces the antibiotic zwittermicin A. Strain W35 is distinguished from other zwittermicin-producing Bacillus cereus strains by resistance to phage P7, antibiotic resistance, and colony morphology.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Significant research has been conducted in recent years on the use of biological agents to increase agricultural productivity and efficiency. Biological control using microorganisms to suppress plant pests or to supplement plant growth is an attractive alternative to chemical pesticides which are less favored because of concerns about human health and environmental quality. Biological agents effective in the laboratory or in the field to combat pests or facilitate plant growth can be obtained in screening programs.

"Biological control" is defined as suppressing a pathogen using a second organism. Mechanisms of biological control are diverse. For example, certain bacteria can biologically control fungal root rot in alfalfa by competing with the fungi for space on the surface of the alfalfa roots. In contrast, a toxin produced by one species of bacteria may be used to control another species of bacteria that appears as a pathogen. Bacterially produced antibiotics are examples of such toxins. The toxin can be isolated from the species producing it and administered directly, as is the common procedure with penicillin, or the species itself may be administered under appropriate circumstances to produce the toxin in situ. Once identified, such toxins produced by soil-dwelling bacteria may have utility in diverse other areas as antifungal or antibiotic agents.

A biological control agent of scientific and economic significance is Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). B. thuringiensis strains produce toxic proteins (Bt toxins) that specifically kill certain insects with different strains exhibited variations in target range and efficacy. In addition, methods exist for stabilizing and applying such Bt toxins, or strains harboring them, to a wide variety of field crop situations. Understanding gained by studying B. thuringiensis strains was largely transferable to other strains since toxins required for biological control and methods for preparing inocula for field use can be similar among strains.

A specific Bacillus cereus strain UW85 (ATCC 53522), has biocontrol efficacy in many applications. UW85 protects alfalfa seedlings from damping off caused by Phytopthora medicaginis (Pmm), protects tobacco seedlings from Phytopthora nicotianae, protects cucumber fruits from rot caused by Pythium aphanidermatum, and protects peanuts from Sclerotinia minor. UW85 is also described, by reference to its ATCC number in U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,738. UW85 also produces two compounds having antifungal and antibacterial activity that independently contribute to suppressing damping-off fungi. The more potent of these compounds, a novel aminopolyol is designated zwittermicin A. The second compound is kanosamine, an amino glycoside antibiotic.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is summarized in that a Bacillus cereus strain having the identifying characteristics of strain W35 (ATCC No. 202074), isolated from the environment, protects and fosters the growth and establishment of alfalfa and tomato plants.

The present invention is also summarized in that a method for fostering the growth of alfalfa or tomato seedlings by applying an inoculum that includes as its active agent a novel Bacillus cereus isolate designated W35 (ATCC No. 202074).

Other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Not applicable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a substantially pure culture of a novel bacterial strain designated Bacillus cereus strain W35. This novel bacterial strain, which can be isolated from soil, exerts biological control over species of fungi responsible for damping off and root rot in plants. Strain W35 has been deposited in the American Type Culture Collection, 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209, and assigned the accession number ATCC 202074.

It is anticipated that one may obtain mutants of W35 that also provide biological control comparable to that provided by W35 using standard mutagenesis and selection techniques known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

A "substantially pure" culture means a culture of a bacteria containing no other bacterial species in quantities sufficient to interfere with replication of the culture.

The Bacillus cereus strain W35 has biocontrol characteristics similar to those of B. cereus strain UW85 (ATCC 53522), described in more detail in U.S. Pat. 4,877,738 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Strain W35 is one of a group of useful Bacillus cereus strains having biocontrol activity at least in part, because they naturally synthesize at least one antibiotic agent because notably an antibiotic toxin known by the coined term "zwittermicin A." This toxin is the subject of allowed patent application number 08/207,335. The antibiotic or toxin is found in supernatant fluid and other bacteria-free fluid and culture medium removed from a culture of W35 or of a protecting mutant of W35. This toxin has been so characterized as to be identifiable independent of its source in cultures of Bacillus cereus. Zwittermicin A is a highly water soluble molecule of about 396 daltons. The molecule includes two amino groups, and is a poly-alcohol.

Strain W35 is also characterized by resistance to phage P7, the ability to inhibit Erwinia herbicola, and the formation of orange colonies on MES minimal medium.

In a second aspect, the present invention is also a method of protecting plants against damping off disease where the method comprises the step of placing in the vicinity of the plant to be protected an effective quantity of a bacteria selected from the group consisting of Bacillus cereus W35 (ATCC 202074) and a mutant thereof which retains the ability to protect plants from damping off disease.

The method by which the biological control referred to in the preceding paragraph may be verified to exist is the "plant protection assay" detailed below. "Biological control" of fungi causing damping off and root rot shall be deemed to exist if, when an effective quantity of W35, or a protecting W35 mutant, an anti-fungal toxin or any other plant-protecting compound or molecule produced by W35 or a W35 mutant, or is placed in the soil or other growing medium in the immediate vicinity of the plant to be protected, a statistically significant reduction in the symptoms of damping off or root rot occurs. An "effective quantity" to combat damping off and root rot shall be that quantity sufficient to result in such a statistically significant reduction of symptoms. Clearly, if no quantity of a bacteria or any toxin or other compound is an effective quantity as so defined, that bacteria, toxin, or compound is not capable of exerting biological control over the fungi causing damping off and root rot.

Strain W35 and those of its mutants capable of exerting such biological control can be referred to collectively as "protecting" bacteria. Bacillus cereus antibiotic and other toxins capable of exerting such biological control can be referred to as "protecting" compounds or toxins. Plants, including seeds, seedlings, and mature plants, treated with such an effective quantity of protecting bacteria, their toxins, or Bacillus cereus antibiotic can be referred to as "protected" from root rot or damping off.

The following is a disclosure of the plant protection assay whereby a test material such as a bacteria, a toxin, or the like, may be tested for its ability to exert biological control over a fungus capable of causing the symptoms of damping off or root rot. The seed or seedling of the plant to be protected is planted in a planting medium in the presence of damping off or root rot causing fungi. The planting medium may be a damp soil containing such fungi, vermiculite in water with the fungi present either in the vermiculite and water or in or on the seed or seedling, an agar-based formulation, or any other planting medium in which the seed or seedling will grow and the fungi may freely develop. The bacteria, toxin, or other test material is placed at least in the immediate vicinity of the seed or seedling. Such placement shall be understood to be in the "immediate vicinity" of the seed or seedling if any soluble test material or any soluble exudate of a bacteria being tested will be in actual contact with the germinating seedling.

Preferably, if seed is used, the seed is coated with the test material, and when the test material is so used with respect to a seed, it shall be referred to hereinafter as a "seed inoculum." The process of coating seed with a seed inoculum is generally well known to those skilled in the art, and any conventional method that does not require conditions sufficiently harsh to kill bacteria or destroy toxins or other materials included in the seed inoculum is adequate. An easy and preferred method is to suspend or dissolve the test material in a 1.5% aqueous solution of methyl cellulose. For convenience, it will be presumed hereinafter that the seed inoculum is a bacteria suspended in the methyl cellulose, although a dissolvable material such as a bacterial toxin may be handled in the same manner. The plant seed to be protected is added to the suspension and is mixed vigorously with it to coat the surface of the seed with the suspension. The seed may then be dried aseptically, preferably by being placed within a laminar flow hood on a sterile surface such as a sterile petri plate. The result is a dry, seed inoculum-coated seed. When the coated seed is planted in the planting medium, the test material accompanies it to reside in the immediate vicinity of the seed.

After a time sufficient for seedling growth and the expression of the symptoms of damping off, seedlings developing from the planted seed may be evaluated for visual evidence of protection, when compared to controls. In strains of alfalfa, soybeans, and snap beans known to be vulnerable to damping off, 2 weeks of growing time in a growth chamber at 24° C. with a 12 hour photoperiod was found to be a period sufficient for the expression of symptoms of damping off when seedlings were being grown in test tubes containing roughly 10³ zoospores of Pythium torulosum or comparable, damping off-causing fungi. In strains of tomato known to be vulnerable to damping off, 9 days of growing time in a growth chamber at 24° C. with a 12 hour photoperiod was found to be a period sufficient for the expression of symptoms of damping off when seedlings were being grown in test tubes containing roughly 10³ zoospores of Pythium torulosum or comparable, damping off-causing fungi. Protected seeds developed into seedlings visually indistinguishable from uninfected seeds while control seedlings developing from unprotected seeds were killed or, in the case of snap beans, exhibited brown lesions on roots and stems, stunted roots, rotted roots, and other visually apparent symptoms of root rot.

As will become apparent below, many strains of Bacillus cereus are useful as biocontrol agents and produce the antibiotic zwittermicin A. See Stabb, et al., "Zwittermicin A-Producing Strains of Bacillus cereus from Diverse Soils," Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 60:4404 (1954), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Since application of purified zwittermicin A is contemplated, it is useful to quantitatively evaluate the levels of zwittermicin A produced by the various zwittermicin A-producing strains of B. cereus. This permits selection of high producing strains as candidates both for fermentation production of zwittermicin A as well as mutagenesis protocols to even further increase the production of zwittermicin A.

The procedure for quantitating the level of production of zwittermicin A is generally characterized as an end point dilution, and is described in detail in Silo-Suh, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 60:2023-2030 (1994), incorporated herein S by reference in its entirety. Briefly, dilutions of partially purified zwittermicin A samples and dilutions of predetermined amounts of zwittermicin A were subjected to high voltage electrophoresis. Zwittermicin A was detected by silver staining. The amount of antibiotic in the test sample was calculated by comparison of the end-point dilution at which zwittermicin A could be detected in the test sample as compared to the standard. The general limit of detection was 0.33 μg/ml. The level of zwittermicin A production was found to vary from sample to sample, but zwittermicin production by W35 was generally comparable to the amount of zwittermicin A produced by UW85.

Using this quantitative analysis of zwittermicin A production described above, several newly isolated strains were identified which had levels of zwittermicin A production greater than UW85, ATCC 53522. In parallel testing, UW85 produced about 14 micrograms zwittermicin A per milliliter of culture. By comparison, the newly isolated strain W35 produced about 9.3 micrograms of zwittermicin A per milliliter of culture.

The B. cereus strain W35 (ATCC 202074) was isolated from a soil sample taken from Madison, Wis. Strain W35 is distinguishable from UW85 in that W35 is resistant to phage P7, whereas UW85 is sensitive to phage P7. In other ways, the strain resembles UW85, and it can be easily handled and grown in culture.

Zwittermicin A producing mutants of W35 include both naturally occurring and artificially induced mutants. For example, W35 is generally sensitive to the antibiotics streptomycin and tetracycline. However, it is expected that naturally occurring mutants of W35 can be isolated that exhibit resistance to one or the other of these antibiotics. Certain of these mutants may be found to produce even higher levels of zwittermicin A. Other mutants of W35 can be artificially induced by subjecting W35 to the mutagen N-methyl-nitrosoguanidine in conventional ways. Similar mutants have been made from other useful B. cereus strains, such as UW85 (ATCC 53522), as described in incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,738.

EXAMPLE 1

Origin of Strains

The geographic origins, and physical and chemical characteristics of the soil samples used in this study are listed in Table 1. All samples were taken from the surface horizon. Measurements of soil pH, organic matter, and the particle size were made by the University of Wisconsin Soil & Plant Analysis Laboratory (Madison, Wis.).

                                      TABLE 1                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Characteristics of soils used in this study                                                                   Most                                                                           recent                                                                         vege-                                           Soil/Site                                                                             Country                                                                              pH % Organic.sup.a                                                                      % Sand, Silt, Clay.sup.b                                                                tation                                          __________________________________________________________________________     Lutz   Panama                                                                               .sup. nd.sup.c                                                                    5.5   nd       Forest                                          Snyder-Molino                                                                         Panama                                                                               nd 6.2   nd       Forest                                          Barbour-                                                                       Lathrop                                                                               Panama                                                                               nd 7.1   nd       Forest                                          Moroceli                                                                              Honduras                                                                             nd 1.7   nd       Maize-Beans                                     San Matias                                                                            Honduras                                                                             5.8                                                                               1.5   nd       Maize-Beans                                     LaVega1                                                                               Honduras                                                                             6.3                                                                               2.3   nd       Beans                                           LaVega5                                                                               Honduras                                                                             5.9                                                                               2.5   nd       Sorghum-Maize                                   Arlington WI                                                                          USA   6.9                                                                               4.2   23, 68, 9                                                                               Alfalfa                                         Hancock WI                                                                            USA   6.6                                                                               0.8   87, 8, 5 Alfalfa-Oats                                    Marshfield WI                                                                         USA   6.5                                                                               3.1   23, 72, 5                                                                               Alfalfa                                         Lancaster WI                                                                          USA   7.1                                                                               2.3   19, 68, 13                                                                              Alfalfa                                         Madison WI                                                                            USA   7.0                                                                               3.2   27, 56, 17                                                                              Alfalfa                                         Taos NM                                                                               USA   8.1                                                                               4.3   nd       Pasture                                         Tifton GA                                                                             USA   6.3                                                                               1.0   87, 12, 1                                                                               Tobacco                                         Douglas                                                                        Gully  Australia                                                                            6.1                                                                               2.2   nd       Vineyard                                        Lelystad                                                                              Netherlands                                                                          7.5                                                                               1.8   51, 36, 13                                                                              Potatoes                                        __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a Organic matter content determined by measuring loss of weight afte      ignition.                                                                      .sup.b Sand, silt and clay contents were determined by hydrometer              measurements.                                                                  ND, not determined.                                                      

                                      TABLE 2                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Strains and isolates used in this study                                        Strain(s)/Isolates    Origin                                                   __________________________________________________________________________     ATCC7064, ATCC27877, ATCC12826                                                                       American Type Culture Collection                         BGSC6A3, BGSC6E1, BGSC6E2, BGSC4A9,                                                                  Bacillus Genetic Stock Center                            BGSC4B1, BGSC4C3, HD1, BGSC4E1, BGSC4F1,                                       BGSC4G1, BGSC4H1, BGSC4I1, BGSC4J1,                                            BGSC4S2                                                                        T                     U.W. Bacteriology Dept. Collection                       UW85                  Alfalfa root. Arlington. WI (26)                         Soy130                Soybean root, Walnut St. Farm,                                                 Madison. WI                                              ALF1, ALF9, ALF10, ALF13, ALF19, ALF23,                                                              Roots of alfalfa plants planted                          ALF52, ALF53, ALF79, ALF83, ALF85, ALF94,                                                            in soil from Arlington, WI and                           ALF95, ALF98, ALF99, ALF108, ALF109,                                                                 grown in growth chamber                                  ALF115, ALF117, ALF133, ALF137, ALF144,                                        ALF154, ALF157, ALF161, ALF166, ALF167,                                        ALF173                                                                         LUTZ21, LUTZ58, LUTZ128                                                                              Lutz soil                                                SNY14, SNY42, SNY44, SNY45, SNY73                                                                    Snyder-Molino soil                                       BAR78, BAR145, BAR177 Barbour-Lathrop soil                                     MOR1, MOR28, MOR37    Moroceli soil                                            SM32, SM43, SM44      San Matias soil                                          VGA19, VGA118, VGA137 Lavegal soil                                             VGA562, VGA577, VGA598                                                                               LaVega5 soil                                             AS7-4, AS8-4, AG8-13, AS4-12, ARL8                                                                   Arlington soil                                           HS1-3, HS23-11, HS24-8, HS24-9                                                                       Hancock soil                                             MS1-9, MS3-2, MS8-2   Mansfield soil                                           LS2-2, LS2-12, LS33-2 Lancaster soil                                           WS4-12, WS8-8, WS10-15, WS16-4, WS22-12                                                              Madison soil                                             TNM68, TNM155, TNM243 Taos soil                                                TG38, TG42, TG126     Tifton soil                                              DGA34, DGA37, DGA84, DGA94                                                                           Douglas Gully soil                                       LN24, LN75, LN100     Lelystad soil                                            Z8                    Zamorano, Honduras soil                                  W35                   West Madison farm site,                                                        Madison WI                                               __________________________________________________________________________

Based on the profiles of fatty acids from 47 isolates analyzed by Five Star Labs (Branford Conn.) and Microbial ID (Newark Del.), all of the isolates were classified as members of the B. cereus group, which includes the species B. mycoides, B. anthracis and B. thuringiensis. The unique rhizoidal morphology of B. mycoides strains differentiates them from B. cereus, and none of the isolates in this collection display B. mycoides-like morphology. B. anthracis is not hemolytic and is usually sensitive to ampicillin and therefore was probably excluded from this collection. Differentiation between B. cereus and B. thuringiensis is difficult with standard methods. Therefore we have followed current recommendations and considered all isolates gathered in this study as B. cereus. Strains BGSC4A9, BGSC4B1, BGSC4C3, HD1, BGSC4E1, BGSC4F1, BGSC4G1, BGSC4H1, BTSC4Il, BGSC4J1 and BGSC4S2 were previously classified by others as B. thuringiensis, and that species designation was retained for those strains.

Assay for sensitivity to phage P7

The phages P7 (ATCC 75237) and PB were used to help characterize the strains. The susceptibility of B. cereus strains to infection by phage P7 has proven to have a strong correlation to biocontrol utility and antibiotic production. To propagate these phages, we spread a mixture of melted soft agar (4 g agar/l) with approximately 10⁶ PFU of phage and an excess of B. cereus strain UW85 on 1/2-strength TSA plates. Plates were incubated overnight at 28° C. and then the soft agar was scraped off the plates and suspended in 1/2-strength trypticase soy broth (1/2-strength TSB), (1 ml/plate). Agar and cells were removed by centrifugation, and the supernatant solution was passed through a 0.2 μm filter. Phage titers were typically 1×10¹⁰ PFU/ml.

To screen large numbers of isolates for P7 sensitivity, grids of 48 isolates were grown on 1/10-strength TSA and then cells were transferred with a metal replicator onto 1/10-strength TSA plates that had been spread with dilutions of P7 such that they contained approximately 10⁸, 10⁴, and 10³ PFU/plate. A 1/10-strength TSA plate containing no phage was used as a control. Isolates that appeared to form patches with decreased growth or plaques on plates containing P7 were tested in the soft-agar overlay assay (described below) to determine if they were P7^(s). Most isolates that were P7^(r) in the primary screen were not re-tested.

In the second test for sensitivity of bacterial isolates to P7, each isolate was grown on 1/2-strength TSA and cells were scraped off plates and mixed in soft agar overlays to form lawns on fresh 1/2-strength TSA plates. Ten-fold dilutions of P7 were placed in 5-μl drops on the plates, which were then incubated at 28° C. If plaques appeared, the strain was designated P7-sensitive (P7^(s)). Lawns of two isolates, ARL8 and HS23-11, were cleared by undiluted drops of P7, but P7 did not form isolated plaques on these isolates at lower concentrations. The clearing due to high titer drops appeared to be due to P7 rather than a chemical present in UW85 lysates, since high titer drops of lysates of PB, which produces turbid plaques on UW85, did not cause clearing on lawns of ARL8 and HS23-11. Therefore these strains were also scored P7^(s). Isolates whose lawns appeared unaffected by P7 were scored p₇ ^(r).

Assay for inhibition of Erwinia herbicola

Inhibition of E. herbicola LS005 was assayed as described in Silo-Suh et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 60:2023-2030 (1994), with the following modifications. Three-day-old cultures of each B. cereus isolate grown in 1/2-strength TSB were tested to determine whether they inhibited E. herbicola on 1/1000-strength TSA plates. Isolates that produced visible zones of inhibition of E. herbicola were tested again. Isolates that produced visible zones of inhibition in both tests were scored Eh⁺. Isolates that did not noticeably inhibit E. herbicola in each of two initial tests were scored Eh⁻. Some B. cereus isolates did not inhibit E. herbicola during initial testing but did after storage at -20° C., and certain isolates (ALF115,HD1 and BGSC4S2) had variable phenotypes producing either small zones of inhibition or no zone in subsequent tests; these were classified Eh⁻.

Assay for zwittermicin A and kanosamine

Zwittermicin A and kanosamine were identified in culture supernatants by cation exchange chromatography using CM SEP-PAK cartridges (Millipore, Millford, Mass.) followed by high voltage paper electrophoresis (HVPE). The cation fraction from the equivalent of 4 ml of culture supernatant was applied to the paper, which was stained with silver nitrate after electrophoresis, described in Silo-Suh et al. supra. Isolates that produced material indistinguishable from either authentic zwittermicin A or authentic kanosamine in HVPE were designated zwittermicin A producers or kanosamine producers, respectively. To verify the structural identity of zwittermicin A produced by nine representatives of the collection of isolates, putative zwittermicin A was purified from these isolates, and subjected to proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹ H-NMR) and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

Assay for suppression of alfalfa or tomato damping-off

Bacterial isolates were grown for four days in 1/2-strength TSB with vigorous shaking at 28° C. and tested in an assay for damping-off. Seeds of alfalfa variety Webfoot MPR or tomato variety Wisconsin 55 were placed in a cell of a 96-cell bedding plant container containing sterilized vermiculite and inoculated with an aliquot of a Bacillus culture and zoospores from either Pythium torulosum or spores of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORL). Statistical analyses (analysis of variance, Dunnet's comparison test, standard error of least squared mean) were conducted using the SAS Computer Program. The results of these experiments are summarized in Tables 3-9.

The results obtained from the plant protection assays indicate that for protection of tomato plants against damping off and root rot, inoculating the soil in which the seeds are planted with B. cereus culture is more effective than coating the seed with the bacterial inoculum. Tomato seedlings grown from seeds coated with a plant protective strain of B. cereus did not exhibit increased resistance to disease relative to seedlings grown from untreated seeds.

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         Disease suppression by Bacillus strains                                                  Alfalfa seedling survival (%)**                                      Treatment*  Experiment 1                                                                              Experiment 2                                                                              Experiment 3                                 ______________________________________                                         untreated (-zoospores)                                                                     59.2 ± 4.3 A                                                                           41.7 ± 5.0 AB                                                                          65.0 ± 4.1 A                              untreated (+zoospores)                                                                      2.5 ± 0.67 E                                                                          18.1 ± 3.8 D                                                                            3.5 ± 1.2 E                              B. cereus UW85                                                                             13.1 ± 1.9 BC                                                                          46.2 ± 3.3 A                                                                           32.4 ± 3.5 C                              B. cereus UW030                                                                             6.9 ± 1.1 D                                                                           27.5 ± 4.9 C                                                                            5.0 ± 1.2 E                              B. cereus MOR28                                                                            15.6 ± 2.4 BC                                                                          47.1 ± 4.4 A                                                                           21.3 ± 3.8 D                              B. cereus SOY130                                                                           20.0 ± 2.7 B                                                                           32.3 ± 3.9 BC                                                                          23.3 ± 3.8 D                              B. lichenitormis DA33                                                                       3.7 ± 1.1 E                                                                           NT         NT                                           B. laevolacticus                                                                           13.1 ± 2.1 C                                                                           NT         22.4 ± 4.4 D                              SB3006                                                                         B. cereus W35                                                                              NT         45.2 ± 4.7 A                                                                           23.5 ± 4.3 D                              B. cereus Z8                                                                               NT         49.4 ± 4.2 A                                                                           44.4 ± 4.3 B                              p(trt)      .0001      .0001      .0001                                        p(blk)      .2936      .0049      .0001                                        p(rep)      .9869      .8432      .3997                                        ______________________________________                                          *1 ml of culture grown in 1/2X TSB for four days with vigorous shaking at      28° .                                                                   **plants were inoculated with 250 or 500 Pythium torulosuin zoospores in       Experiment 1; 300 zoospores in Experiment 2; 250, 500, or 750 zoospores i      Experiment 3, and scored 10 days after inoculation.                            10 seeds of alfalfa variety Webfoot MPR were placed in a cell of a 96cell      bedding plant container containing sterilized vermiculite and inoculated       with the Bacillus and Pythium.                                                 In Experiments 1 and 2, each treatment consisted of four blocks each           containing four replicates with three cells in each replicate; therefore       each value represents survival among seedlings from 480 seeds. In              experiment 3, each treatment consisted of six blocks each containing thre      replicates with three cells in each replicate; therefore each value            represents survival among seedlings from 540 seeds.                            For each Experiment, the values were calculated over all levels of             zoospore concentration since there were no significant differences in          survival due to zoospore concentration.                                  

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                         Suppression of disease caused by Pythium torulosum by Bacillus strains         Bacterial                                                                               Tomato seedling emergence (%).sup.b                                   Treatment.sup.a *                                                                       10 zoospores/seed                                                                          20 zoospores/seed                                                                          Average.sup.c                                 ______________________________________                                         none     28.8 ± 8.0 B                                                                            23.3 ± 6.6 C                                                                            26.1 ± 5.0 C                               UW85     90.8 ± 2.1 A                                                                            90.4 ± 1.8 A                                                                            90.6 ± 1.4 AB                              UW030    93.7 ± 1.3 A                                                                            77.1 ± 5.9 B                                                                            85.4 ± 3.2 B                               MOR28    91.7 ± 1.7 A                                                                            92.9 ± 1.6 A                                                                            92.3 ± 1.1 A                               SOY130   91.7 ± 1.8 A                                                                            88.7 ± 2.3 A                                                                            90.2 ± 1.4 AB                              W35      92.9 ± 1.7 A                                                                            91.2 ± 1.5 A                                                                            92.1 ± 1.1 A                               Z8       89.6 ± 1.5 A                                                                            93.3 ± 1.3 A                                                                            91.4 ± 1.0 AB                              5B3006   94.2 ± 1.7 A                                                                            94;2 ± 1.8 A                                                                            94.2 ± 1.2 A                               ______________________________________                                          .sup.a 1.0 ml of Bacillus culture grown in 1/2X TSB for four days with         vigorous shaking at 28° C. was added to each cell.                      .sup.b 10 seeds of tomato variety Wisconsin 55 were placed in a cell of a      96cell bedding plant container containing sterilized vermiculite and           inoculated with the Bacillus culture. The bottom of the flat was flooded       with water containing enough zoospores for 10 or 20 zoospores per seed.        Each treatment at each zoospore level consisted of two blocks each             containing 12 replicates; therefore each value represents the % emergence      # among seedlings from 240 seeds 30 days after inoculation.                    .sup.c Average % emergence of tomato seedlings of both zoospore levels;        values followed by the same letter do not differ significantly at P =          0.05.                                                                    

                  TABLE 5                                                          ______________________________________                                         Suppression of disease caused by Pythium torulosum by Bacillus strains         Bacterial                                                                               Tomato seedling health (%).sup.b                                      Treatment.sup.a                                                                         10 zoospores/seed                                                                          20 zoospores/seed                                                                          Average.sup.c                                 ______________________________________                                         none     26.9 ± 7.8 B                                                                            16.7 ± 5.9 C                                                                            21.7 ± 4.8 C                               UW85     88.3 ± 2.2 A                                                                            87.1 ± 2.4 A                                                                            87.7 ± 1.6 A                               UW030    90.8 ± 2.0 A                                                                            70.0 ± 6.6 B                                                                            80.4 ± 3.7 B                               MOR28    87.9 ± 2.1 A                                                                            92.1 ± 1.5 A                                                                            90.0 ± 1.3 A                               SOY130   90.4 ± 1.8 A                                                                            85.8 ± 2.6 A                                                                            88.1 ± 1.6 A                               W35      90.4 ± 2.1 A                                                                            87.9 ± 1.9 A                                                                            89.2 ± 1.4 A                               Z8       87.5 ± 1.8 A                                                                            86.2 ± 2.4 A                                                                            86.9 ± 1.4 AB                              SB3006   90.4 ± 2.3 A                                                                            90.8 ± 1.9 A                                                                            90.6 ± 1.5 A                               ______________________________________                                          .sup.a 1.0 ml (-10.sup.9 cfu) of Bacillus culture grown in 1/2X TSB for        four days with vigorous shaking at 28° C. was added to each cell.       .sup.b 10 seeds of tomato variety Wisconsin 55 were placed in a cell of a      96cell bedding plant container containing sterilized vermiculite and           inoculated with the Bacillus culture. The bottom of the flat was flooded       with water containing enough zoospores for 10 or 20 zoospores per seed.        Each treatment at each zoospore level consisted of two blocks each             containing 12 replicates; therefore each value represents the % healthy        seedlings from 240 seeds 30 days after inoculation.                            .sup.c Average % healthy tomato seedlings of both zoospore levels; values      followed by the same letter do not differ significantly at P = 0.05.     

                  TABLE 6                                                          ______________________________________                                         Suppression of disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-            lycopersici (FORL) by bacterial strains.                                       Treatment.sup.a                                                                             % Emergence.sup.b                                                                             % Healthy.sup.c                                    ______________________________________                                         Untreated    90.6 ± 2.9 A                                                                               87.5 ± 2.9 A                                    AS4-12 D     63.1 ± 4.1 B                                                                               52.2 ± 4.3 B                                    No. 11 D     29.7 ± 4.7 C                                                                               20.6 ± 4.1 C                                    SOY130       28.7 ± 4.3 CD                                                                              18.7 ± 3.9 C                                    W35          27.5 ± 4.1 CD                                                                              18.1 ± 3.4 C                                    MS1-9        24.3 ± 4.1 CDE                                                                             16.9 ± 3.8 C                                    UW030        23.4 ± 3.9 CDE                                                                             13.7 ± 3.0 C                                    UW85         21.5 ± 4.7 CDE                                                                             13.1 ± 3.8 C                                    Z8           20.6 ± 3.6 CDE                                                                             14.7 ± 3.0 C                                    MOR28        19.4 ± 3.2 DE                                                                              12.5 ± 2.7 C                                    AS4-12       19.1 ± 3.9 DE                                                                              13.7 ± 3.0 C                                    water        17.2 ± 3.2 E                                                                               11.5 ± 2.9 C                                    ______________________________________                                          .sup.a Tomato seeds coated with 10.sup.5 Bacillus spores or a drench (D)       of 1.0 ml (-10.sup.9 cfu) from a fourday-old culture. Strain No. 11 is         Bacillus polymyxa, all other strains are Bacillus cereus.                      .sup.b 10 seeds of tomato variety Wisconsin 55 were planted in a cell of       96cell bedding plant container containing sterilized vermiculite and the       drench treatments applied. 5000 Fusarium spores were inoculated into each      cell. Each treatment consisted of 4 blocks each containing 8 replicates;       therefore each value represents the mean ± se % emergence from 320          seeds 24 days after inoculation. Means with the same letter are not            significantly different at P = 0.05.                                           .sup.c The mean ± se % healthy plants 24 days after inoculation; value      followed with the same letter do not differ significantly at P = 0.05.   

                                      TABLE 7                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Suppression of disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.                     radicis-lycopersici (FORL) by bacterial strains                                      Inhibition of                                                                             Inhibition of                                                 Treatment.sup.a                                                                       Erwinia herbicola.sup.b (mm)                                                             FORL.sup.c (mm)                                                                      % Emergence.sup.d                                                                      % Healthy.sup.e                                 __________________________________________________________________________     Z8    7.5        3*    88.6 ± 2.7 A                                                                        83.3 ± 3.3 A                                 UW85  9          3*    87.6 ± 2.7 AB                                                                       81.4 ± 2.5 AB                                No. 6 0          3.5   86.2 ± 2.7 AB                                                                       79.0 ± 2.9 ABC                               UW030 0          0     81.4 ± 3.3 AB                                                                       76.2 ± 3.8 ABC                               W35   6          2.5*  80.5 ± 3.3 AB                                                                       73.3 ± 3.8 ABC                               MOR28 10         3*    79.5 ± 4.0 AB                                                                       70.9 ± 4.2 ABCD                              AS4-12                                                                               9          4*    77.1 ± 4.5 ABC                                                                      68.6 ± 4.7 CD                                SOY130                                                                               8.5        5*    75.7 ± 5.6 BC                                                                       69.0 ± 6.5 BCD                               W1    0          6.5   66.2 ± 6.5 CD                                                                       60.0 ± 6.9 DE                                MS1-9 10.5       4*    65.7 ± 4.9 CD                                                                       55.2 ± 4.9 EF                                No. 9 0          0     61.9 ± 5.4 D                                                                        52.4 ± 4.9 EFG                               No. 11                                                                               0          0     56.2 ± 5.1 DE                                                                       45.2 ± 4.5 FG                                water 0          0     47.6 ± 6.0 E                                                                        41.4 ± 5.8 G                                 __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a 1.0 ml of culture grown in 1/2X TSB for four days with vigorous         shaking at 28° C. was added to each cell. All strains are Bacillus      cereus except No. 6 and No. 9 are Xanthomonas, No. 11 is Bacillus              polymyxa, and W1 is Pseudomonas.                                               .sup.b 10.sup.5 Erwinia herbicola cells are spread on a .001X TSA plate.       8 mm well was cut into the agar and filled with 100 μl of culture.          Zones of inhibition were measured after 3 days. Values represent the mean      of two zones.                                                                  .sup.c 10.sup.4 FORL spores were spread onto a Potato Dextrose Agar plate      A 8 mm well was cut into the agar and filled with 100 μl of culture.        Zones of inhibition were measured after 3 days. *Not a clear zone, growth      of FORL was slowed within the zone. Values represent the means of two          zones.                                                                         .sup.d 10 seeds of tomato variety Wisconsin 55 were planted in a cell of       96cell bedding plant container containing sterilized vermiculite and           inoculated with the bacterial culture. 5000 Fusariwn spores were               inoculated into each cell. Each treatment consisted of 3 blocks each           containing 7 replicates; therefore each value represents the mean ± se      % emergence from 210 seeds 29 days after inoculation. A control of 70          untreated seeds showed a 95.7%  # emergence. Means with the same letter        are not significantly different at P = 0.05.                                   .sup.e The mean ± se % healthy plants 29 days after inoculation.      

                                      TABLE 8                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Disease suppression of Pythium torulosum by Bacillus strains                          Erwinia zone of                                                                        Tomato seedling survival (%).sup.c                              Treatment.sup.a                                                                       inhibition (mm).sup.b                                                                  10 zoospores/seed                                                                       20 zoospores/seed                                                                       Average.sup.d                                 __________________________________________________________________________     untreated      26.2 ± 6.6                                                                           18.3 ± 5.0                                                                           22.3 ± 4.1                                 UW85   11      87.9 ± 2.9                                                                           81.2 ± 4.8                                                                           84.6 ± 2.8                                 UW030  0       88.3 ± 2.7                                                                           74.5 ± 6.2                                                                           81.9 ± 3.4                                 MOR28  12      90.0 ± 2.2                                                                           90.8 ± 2.8                                                                           90.4 ± 1.7                                 SOY130 10      89.6 ± 1.7                                                                           82.5 ± 4.8                                                                           86.0 ± 2.5                                 W35    8       93.3 ± 1.6                                                                           87.1 ± 3.9                                                                           90.2 ± 2.1                                 Z8     8       87.5 ± 2.1                                                                           91.2 ± 2.1                                                                           89.4 ± 1.4                                 SB3006 11      91.2 ± 2.5                                                                           92.1 ± 1.8                                                                           91.7 ± 1.5                                 __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a 1.0 ml of culture grown in 1/2X TSB for four days with vigorous         shaking at 28° C.                                                       .sup.b 10.sup.5 Erwinia cells were spread onto a water agar plate. 0.1 ml      of Bacillus culture was placed in an 8 mm well cut in the agar. Zones of       inhibition were scored after 6 days.                                           .sup.c 10 seeds of tomato variety Wisconsin 55 were placed in a cell of a      96cell bedding plant container containing sterilized vermiculite and           inoculated with the Bacillus culture. The bottom of the flat was flooded       with water containing enough zoospores for 10 or 20 zoospores per seed.        Each treatment at each zoospore level consisted of two blocks each             containing 12 replicates; therefore each value represents the survival         among seedlings from 240 seeds 9 days after inoculation.                       .sup.d Average survival of tomato seedlings over both zoospore levels.   

                  TABLE 9                                                          ______________________________________                                         Disease suppression of Pythium torulosum by Bacillus strains                   Tomato seedling survival (%).sup.a                                             Treatment                                                                              0 zoospores/seed                                                                           25 zoospores/seed                                                                          75 zoospores/seed                              ______________________________________                                         untreated                                                                              87.2 ± 2.3                                                                              5.0 ± 1.2                                                                               0 ± 0                                       UW85    93.8 ± 1.5                                                                              2.2 ± 1.8                                                                               0 ± 0                                       UW030   91.1 ± 2.3                                                                              0 ± 0    0 ± 0                                       MOR28   87.2 ± 2.8                                                                              7.8 ± 5.8                                                                               0 ± 0                                       SOY130  91.1 ± 2.5                                                                              0 ± 0    0 ± 0                                       W35     92.8 ± 2.7                                                                              3.9 ± 2.9                                                                               0 ± 0                                       Z8      87.2 ± 2.6                                                                              4.4 ± 4.6                                                                               0 ± 0                                       SB3006  89.4 ± 2.3                                                                              5.5 ± 5.1                                                                               .55 ± .57                                   ______________________________________                                          .sup.a 10 seeds of tomato variety Wisconsin 55 coated with a Bacillus          strain were placed in a cell of a 72cell bedding plant container               containing sterile vermiculite. The flat was flooded with water containin      zoospores. Each treatment consisted of two blocks each containing 9            replicates; therefore each value represents the survival among seedlings       from 180 seeds after 12 days of growth.                                  

Testing diversity of strains

To estimate the diversity of zwittermicin A and kanosamine-producers, we sought to determine the minimum number of unique zwittermicin A and/or kanosamine-producing strains in our collection. We considered isolates to be distinct strains only if phenotypic differences between them could be shown. Therefore, isolates were subjected to a series of phenotypic tests. All characterization was performed on isolates that had been colony purified on 1/2-strength TSA. To test for antibiotic resistance, isolates were streaked on 1/2-strength TSA containing tetracycline (10 μg/ml), neomycin (5 μg/ml), or streptomycin (10 μg/ml), and incubated at 28° C. overnight. Isolates that grew similarly when streaked in the presence or absence of antibiotic were classified as antibiotic resistant. To test isolates for pigment production, they were grown on MES minimal medium at 28° C. for seven days and then scored visually. MES minimal medium contained 9.75 g/L 2-[N-morpholine]ethan-sulfonic acid (MES), 2 g/L (NH₄)₂ SO₄, 0.2 g/L MgSO₄.7 H₂ O, 0.25 mg/L MnSO₄.7 H₂ O, 1.25 g/L K₂ HPO₄.3H₂ O, 2 g/L L-glutamic acid, 10 mg/L thiamine, 15 g/L agar, 40 mg/L FeCl₃.6H₂ O, 5 g/L sucrose and 1 mM of the amino acids threonine, serine, leucine, valine, and alanine, and was adjusted to pH 6.1. MES-Thr medium was MES minimal medium lacking threonine. We characterized the ability of isolates to grow on MES-Thr media by streaking isolates onto MES-Thr plates and incubating at 28° C. for four days and recording the rate of appearance of colonies for each strain. Phages ΦATCC 7064 and ΦATCC 27877 were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection and were propagated on bacterial strains ATCC 7064 and ATCC 27877, respectively. Phage Φ63 was propagated on strain Bt-1, and both Φ63 and Bt-1 were obtained from R. Landen. Sensitivity of isolates to phages Φ63, ΦATCC7064 and ΦATCC27877 was determined by the soft-agar overlay method described above for P7, with plaque formation as the indicator of sensitivity. The results of these studies are summarized in Tables 10 and 11.

Association of zwittermicin A production with P7^(s) and Eh⁺ isolates

It was known that B. cereus strain UW85 produces two antibiotics, the novel aminopolyol, zwittermicin A, and kanosamine, that contribute to the suppression of alfalfa seedling damping-off. UW85 was originally identified in a labor-intensive screen for biological control activity. The study conducted above was intended to investigate whether sensitivity to P7 (P7^(s)) and the ability to inhibit E. herbicola (Eh⁺) were phenotypes that could be used to identify zwittermicin A producers and useful biocontrol strains.

4,307 B. cereus and B. thuringiensis isolates were screened for P7^(s) and/or Eh⁺ phenotypes. The isolates were obtained from geographically diverse soil samples collected at a total of 16 locations in five countries (Table 1 above), from alfalfa and soybean roots, and from stock culture collections (Table 2 above). the number of P7^(s) or P7^(r) Eh⁺ isolates identified from each source and the number of isolates tested were tabulated. P7^(s) isolates were identified in samples from 14 of the 16 soils examined as well as from alfalfa and soybean roots. Of the 87 P7^(s) isolates, all were Eh⁺ except SNY73 and LN100. P7^(s) Eh⁺ isolates were identified from each of the soils as well as from alfalfa roots. Among all the isolates tested, approximately 2% (85/4,307) of the isolates examined were P7^(s) Eh⁺ and 7% (132/1,876) were P7^(r) Eh⁺.

Ouantitative comparison of zwittermicin A production

This quantitative comparison was performed by the end-point dilution analysis described above. The results indicate that W35 produces zwittermicin A at levels comparable to UW85.

                                      TABLE 10                                     __________________________________________________________________________     Characteristics that differentiate Bacillus cereus strains                          ZmA.sup.a                       Erwinia herbicola                              concentration      Colony Color                                                                          Colony                                                                               inhibition zone.sup.d                     Strains                                                                             μg/ml                                                                              P7.sup.b                                                                          Str.sup.c                                                                         Neo.sup.c                                                                         Tet.sup.c                                                                         on MES Morphology                                                                           (mm)                                      __________________________________________________________________________     UW65 14.6 ± 1.1                                                                         S  S  S  S  orange opaque                                                                               11.7 ± 1.7                             MOR2B                                                                               ND     S  S  S  S  orange opaque                                                                               10 ± 0                                 AS4-12                                                                              ND     S  S  S  S  orange opaque                                                                               ND                                        DGA34                                                                               ND     S  S  S  S  orange clear ND                                        SOY130                                                                              ND     S  R  R  S  orange opaque                                                                               ND                                        Z8   17.4 ± 3.7                                                                         R  S  ND S  white  opaque                                                                                7 ± 0.8                               W35   9.3 ± 1.0                                                                         R  S  ND S  orange opaque                                                                                9 ± 2.2                               MS1-9                                                                               ND     S  S  S  S  orange opaque                                                                               ND                                        UW030                                                                               0      S  R  S  R  orange opaque                                                                               ND                                        __________________________________________________________________________      .sup.a Concentration of zwittermicin in culture filtrate determined by         endpoint dilution method of SiloSuh et al. (1994)                              ND = not determined.                                                           .sup.b S and R indicate sensitivity and resistance to phage P7.                .sup.c Streptomycin at 10 μg/ml, neomycin at 5 μg/ml, and                tetracycline at 10 μg/ml. S and R indicate sensitivity and resistance       to streptomycin, neomycin, and tetracycline.                                   .sup.d Inhibition zone size measured from edge of well containing B.           cereus strain.                                                           

                  TABLE 11                                                         ______________________________________                                         Erwinia inhibition on 1/1000X TSA                                                     Zone size (mm)**                                                        Strain*  Experiment 1                                                                               Experiment 2                                                                              Experiment 3                                   ______________________________________                                         none     0           0          0                                              DA33     0           NT         NT                                             UW8S     4           5.5        8                                              SOY130   5.3         5          8                                              MOR28    6           5          9                                              UW030    0           0          0                                              SB3006   5           NT         8                                              W35      NT          3          3                                              Z8       NT          5          6                                              ______________________________________                                          *All Bacillus cultures were grown in 1/2X TSB for four days with vigorous      shaking at 280. Erwinia was grown in 1/2X TSB overnight.                       10.sup.5 Erwinia cells were spread on each plate.                              50 μl of the Bacillus culture to be tested was placed in a 6mm well;        except in Experiment 3, 100 μl was placed in well.                          All Bacillus cultures were fully sporulated except DA33, which did not         produce spores under these conditions.                                         Zones of inhibition were scored after 1 day.                                   **Each value represents the mean of three zones for experiment 1, two          zones for experiment 2, and one zone for experiment 3.                    

What is claimed is:
 1. A biologically pure culture of a Bacillus cereus strain having all of the identifying characteristics of Bacillus cereus strain W35 ATCC
 202074. 2. The culture of claim 1, wherein the strain is W35 ATCC
 202074. 3. A biologically pure culture of a mutant of Bacillus cereus strain W35 ATCC 202074 the mutant strain retaining the ability to produce protects a plant against damping off disease.
 4. The culture of claim 3, wherein the plant is an alfalfa plant.
 5. The culture of claim 3, wherein the plant is a tomato plant.
 6. An inoculum for application to a plant comprising a carrier and bacteria in a quantity effective to protect the plant from damping off disease, the bacteria selected from the group consisting of a Bacillus cereus having all of the identifying characteristics of Bacillus cereus W35 ATCC 202074 and a mutant of Bacillus cereus W35 ATCC 202074 which produces zwittermicin A and protects the plant against damping off disease.
 7. A method for protecting plants growing in a medium from damping off disease comprising the steps of placing at least in the immediate vicinity of the plant to be protected an effective quantity of a bacteria selected from the group consisting of Bacillus cereus W35 (ATCC 202074) and a mutant thereof retaining the ability to produce zwittermicin A and the ability to protect plants from damping off disease. 